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Restaurant of the Week: Pizzaioli

I’m not sure how you pronounce the name exactly — “pete’s-ay-ee-oh-lee,” perhaps — but I sometimes think of adding an “ee-oh-ee-oh,” as if we were yodeling. Anyhow, I met up there for lunch last weekend with readers Doug Evans, Hugh McBride and Elizabeth Casian, allowing for a four-way review.

Pizzaioli, in the Chino Spectrum center, has been in business since 1995. Despite the shopping center setting, the interior greets you with a well-stocked bar and an elegant feel. The dining room is adjacent and there’s also patio seating. The ambience is upscale-casual, reminiscent of Macaroni Grill. The menu boasts fancy pizzas, paninis, salads, pastas, seafood, steaks and chops, with entrees ranging from $10 to $30.

Our table had eggplant parmesan ($15), described as “fantastic”; chicken al vino ($15), “very good”; manicotti ($13), called “okay” (blah cheese, decent sauce, but a large enough portion to take home half); and chicken with spinach ravioli ($15, pictured), mine, which I’d say was “not bad,” although the presentation looks more slipshod than it seemed at the time. Some of these items were daily specials not on the regular menu. We also had dinner salads ($7 each). Service was attentive but they knew to leave us alone to enjoy a long, chatty lunch.

Overall, good, although perhaps a few bucks pricier than strictly necessary. You could do a lot worse. Apparently it’s especially popular for weekend dinners. Pizzaioli-oh-lee-ay!

Our family has regular debates about the location of (Peezeeoli). They always say Chino Hills but I believe it’s on the border of southwest Chino.

[Yes, it's Chino, a couple of blocks over the border from Chino Hills. I have it right on this blog but blew it in my column today, saying Chino Hills. Oops. -- DA]

Doug Evans

Yet again, the sweet, fickle taste of fame… a couple more blog mentions like this, and I’m headed off to the bright lights of the big city!

A great time was had by us as well… I noticed how an “hour or so” lunch became almost three and a half hours. Truly good times!

Now to work on the correct pronunciation of “Papachino’s”…

[If you're headed off to the bright lights of the big city with a couple more blog mentions, I'd better stop mentioning you. -- DA]

Linda Biscardi

Hi Dave..the proper pronunciation is Petes eye Oh lee. Italian is such a beautiful language and sharing it, along with real Italian food, is what I live for…

[That could almost be a conversation about a tragic accident: "Pete's eye?" "Oh, Lee." -- DA]

Bob Terry

So is that how the dish looked when it came out? I’m almost expecting to hear bud…wei…serrrrrrrrr.

About this blog

A roundup of news, history, food, travel and cultural items from around the Inland Valley.

About this blogger

A journalist for nearly 30 years, David Allen has been chronicling the Inland Valley for the Daily Bulletin since 1997 and blogging since 2007. His first book, "Pomona A to Z," was published in 2014.
E-mail David here. Read recent columns here.